The Giants enter Week 3 battered, but the matchup in front of them still looks manageable. New York is dealing with the loss of starting quarterback Jaxson Dart for the season, and Brian Burns’ ankle issue adds another hit to a defense that will already have to adjust. Even so, the Giants are 2.5-point favorites against a Tennessee team that is still searching for traction at 0-2.
The opponent brings a familiar face back into the picture. Brian Daboll returns to New York as the Titans’ offensive mind, and this will be Tennessee’s first road game of the 2026 season. Robert Saleh’s first Titans team is rebuilding, but Cam Ward gives them a quarterback to build around, along with a young collection of pass catchers and a backfield that has started to take shape.
Ward’s first two games have shown more comfort than his opener suggested. After Tennessee managed only 10 points in a Week 1 loss to the Jets, the Titans pushed the Eagles to a 24-20 finish on a last-second loss.
Ward has gone 32 of 53 for 323 yards, a 61.5% completion rate, with one passing touchdown and no interceptions. He has also added two rushing touchdowns.
Tennessee has leaned heavily on 11 personnel through two games, using it on 71% of its snaps. Ward has been under center on 37% of his dropbacks, a noticeable contrast from Daboll’s usage of Jaxson Dart last season, when Dart was under center only 20% of the time. The Titans have not topped 300 total yards in either game, and they’re 10 of 25 on third down.
The running game has been split between Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears, with rookie Nicholas Singleton also getting into the mix after being a healthy scratch in Week 1. Pollard has 21 carries for 99 yards and six missed tackles forced, while Spears has 10 rushes for 53 yards and has also caught four passes for 41 yards.
Pollard has two catches for no yards. Spears also popped a long catch in Week 2.
At receiver, Tennessee is rolling with a young group that includes Elic Ayomanor, Chimere Dike, and first-round pick Carnell Tate, while Wan’Dale Robinson works from the slot and Calvin Ridley remains in the mix. Ridley has been on the field for 62% of the snaps.
Ayomanor leads the team with 80 receiving yards and one touchdown on three catches, Tate has seven receptions for 65 yards on 11 targets, Robinson has six catches for 47 yards, and tight end Gunnar Helm has six grabs for 41 yards. Tennessee also used more 12 personnel against the Eagles, which brought Daniel Bellinger into the picture as the second tight end.
The Titans’ offensive line has former Giants center Austin Schlottmann in the middle. Pro Football Focus has graded him well in pass protection, but poorly in run blocking, and that lines up with a front that has already dealt with strong defensive lines from the Eagles and Jets. Dan Moore Jr. and JC Latham will be tested on the edges by New York’s pass rush, while Peter Skoronski and Fernando Carmona are the guards, with Carmona having already allowed four pressures.
That trench battle is one the Giants should like.
New York’s own injury picture is a little thinner now, especially with Burns sidelined after his ankle was rolled up on late in the 28-6 game against the Rams. That should push Kayvon Thibodeaux into a larger role; he has played 59 snaps so far, compared with 91 for Burns and 108 for Abdul Carter. Chauncey Golston could see more edge work too, and Arvell Reese may get chances in certain packages.
The secondary may also need some shuffling depending on Tae Banks’ status. If he can’t go, Colton Hood would likely line up opposite Greg Newsome II. Jason Pinnock should be dressed as insurance behind Tyler Nubin after Nubin was targeted heavily by Sean McVay’s offense in Week 2.
The Giants’ defensive approach should look different than it did against the Rams. That game was shaped by a heavy dose of 13 personnel from Los Angeles, but Tennessee’s offense is built much differently.
Expect less base defense and more nickel, especially with the Titans leaning on 11 personnel so often. Dru Phillips, who played just 48% of snaps against the Rams after playing 83% against Dallas, should be part of that adjustment.
Pressure should also be a bigger part of the plan. The Giants blitzed on just 17% of snaps in Week 2, and that number figures to climb.
Ward has been blitzed on 31% of his dropbacks overall and 38% on third down, so the Giants should have opportunities to heat him up with five-man pressure looks. Wilson also has room to use Reese as a blitzer; he has 11 pass rush snaps this season, and New York could explore him on the edge in select situations against 11 personnel.
There’s also room for the Giants to mix in Cover-3 and middle-of-the-field-closed looks with strong-side and weak-side buzz rotation against 3x1 sets.
Even with the injuries, New York looks positioned to take care of business. Jameis Winston should help steady the offense, which likely leans on 12 and 22 personnel often, and Wilson should have more freedom to get creative against Ward and Daboll’s attack. The pick here is Giants 20, Titans 13.
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